Rio Blanco County officials lifted some mandatory evacuation and pre-evacuation orders Friday afternoon for the Elk and Lee fires burning near the Western Slope town of Meeker.

Homes outside the small ranching town have been evacuated and a shelter has been set up at Moffat County High School in nearby Craig, just northeast of Meeker. To the south, Colorado Mountain College in Rifle is offering its parking lot for folks fleeing, especially with RVs and trailers.

The Town of Meeker is no longer under a pre-evacuation status as the state's largest wildfire continues to pose a challenge for firefighters on the ground due to hot, dry conditions in much of the western side of the state.